Update: Great clinic with Julie Winkel! (in first post)

[Calvincrowe]

Oh my goodness!! Just finished two days with Julie Winkel and could not be happier. What a supportive, firm, fair and positive teacher she is. I was in the lowest section 2’3-2’6", two green horses (one with a pro, one with a super adult rider) plus 3 adults (me!) on experienced horses. She built on excellent flat work, pinpointed each of our issues, and addressed them clearly and with language that made sense to each of us. The jumping built slowly and methodically, and she was happy to step things down if needed but brought us all up to her challenging courses. Her emphasis in the bigger sessions was based on educating us about what a judge is looking for. She walked each group through how a judge judges, and the groups rode and got scored. We learned so much about the numerical system, the ‘why’ of each mistake, how to fix our rides, what homework it takes for each problem we had. It was so good! No horse got more attention that others, even those who were struggling. That was great-- sessions were tightly timed. (ok…after my last session, she did come over and love on my mare, who she bred and raised. That was sweet!).

I have the opportunity to ride in a clinic at our barn with Julie Winkel and being an older adult, want to be prepared both physically and mentally for it. I’ll be in the 2’6"ish group. Can anyone tell me what they are like? I know sessions will be 2 hours long (ahh…Covid body alert!) and I’m assuming there will be flat work as well as jumping exercises. Incidentally, my mare is a product of her breeding program so that’ll be fun for her to see how she’s turned out (through no help of mine! I have only had her for 6 months!).

[caryledee]

I have not but from this older thread, it sounds like she is a good choice for a clinician! https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…8-julie-winkel

[Pohney]

I’ve done one - it was a great experience for myself and my mare. My horse has on and off days, and was very new to cantering courses at that time because 8-12 jumps in a row can be difficult mentally. Anyway, Julie was very helpful in working through issues that cropped up and it was an overall beneficial experience for us. I found her to be positive and informative. And in the group setting, the session length is very manageable. As you noted, we did have a portion of flatwork (mostly as a group) and then jumping (one at a time - plenty of breaks).

[Calvincrowe]

Thanks for the input and the link to the previous thread-- I searched but clearly not well enough! I am so looking forward to this clinic as we’ve been in “stay home” mode for 3 months (as have we all, more or less) and needed a challenge to prep for since we won’t be showing much this year it seems. My mare is a “stepping down from the big hunters” type who looks deceptively easy to ride and I’m still figuring out how best to manage her around a course. I’m doubly excited to find out if she remembers my girl (and can offer a good sire recommendation as we are considering breeding in the near future…she’s a lovely, lovely mare inside and out…the kind you want to reproduce!).

[BITSA]

I did one just as I was moving into the 3’ ring a few years ago. I thought it was good and I learned a lot. She had some practical tips and a good demeanor. My only critisism was that she did not seem to like my cheap/draft cross horse (whom i loved) and made no bones about it, but did rave about the fancy imports. That being said, given the opportunity I’d clinic with her again.

[Mardi]

@BITSA

My only critisism was that she did not seem to like my cheap/draft cross horse (whom i loved) and made no bones about it, but did rave about the fancy imports. .

Sorry to hear this. A good horse is a good horse, regardless of the price tag.

[HJdaydream]

I rode with her in February 2018 and had a great experience! I wrote about it on my blog after the fact, I’ve attached the link below if you’re interested.

https://hunkyhanoverian.com/allthingshorse/julie-winkel-clinic/

[Plumcreek]

[QUOTE=BITSA;n10673571. My only critisism was that she did not seem to like my cheap/draft cross horse (whom i loved) and made no bones about it, but did rave about the fancy imports. That being said, given the opportunity I’d clinic with her again.[/QUOTE]

I lived in Reno and hauled into lessons with Julie for two years on my hunter-type Quarter Horses, and was treated the same as her in-barn clients on warmbloods. She even dealt with my spooky gelding w/o criticism, even complimenting that he got over a fence because I never took my eye off the line. She nailed corrections I needed to make every time I passed her in a group flat lesson. She is a traditionalist re good position, horsemanship, and advanced flat work (she does appreciate educated riders, for sure) , and you are lucky to be taking a clinic with her.

[FAW]

Done two with her. Like her. Firm but fair, just like her judging. Very clear on what she wants. Bit tougher than Bernie Traurig. Focuses a lot towards what judges are looking for in the ring. Money well spent

[FAW]

P.S., she loves riders who can think in the ring and show skills no matter what level

[NotAtTheBarn]

I’ve ridden with her quite a few times and enjoyed it every time. There was generally a good mix between flatwork, grids/cavaletti, and course work.

[costco_muffins]

@BITSA

I did one just as I was moving into the 3’ ring a few years ago. I thought it was good and I learned a lot. She had some practical tips and a good demeanor. My only critisism was that she did not seem to like my cheap/draft cross horse (whom i loved) and made no bones about it, but did rave about the fancy imports. That being said, given the opportunity I’d clinic with her again.

This was my same experience. I took two horses. My hard trying, but medium quality hunter derby 3’ horse and my green, 60 days under saddle TB I started myself. The derby horse is an off breed (buckskin appendix) and was in a 3’ group and the TB was in a baby group popping around x-2’. In each group she gravitated towards giving attention to horses that were fancy, related in some way to her stallions, or were ridden by the trainers.

I couldn’t reconcile the price with the instruction, especially when it felt I was punted aside for other, nicer horses.

[Pennywell_Bay]

@Plumcreek

I lived in Reno and hauled into lessons with Julie for two years on my hunter-type Quarter Horses, and was treated the same as her in-barn clients on warmbloods. She even dealt with my spooky gelding w/o criticism, even complimenting that he got over a fence because I never took my eye off the line. She nailed corrections I needed to make every time I passed her in a group flat lesson. She is a traditionalist re good position, horsemanship, and advanced flat work (she does appreciate educated riders, for sure) , and you are lucky to be taking a clinic with her.

Poster never said she wasn’t lucky. While that is your experience with JW- someone else had a different one (a few others apparently). Let’s not discount others perception. It is neither wrong nor right- it is THEIRS.

[Release_First]

@costco_muffins

This was my same experience. I took two horses. My hard trying, but medium quality hunter derby 3’ horse and my green, 60 days under saddle TB I started myself. The derby horse is an off breed (buckskin appendix) and was in a 3’ group and the TB was in a baby group popping around x-2’. In each group she gravitated towards giving attention to horses that were fancy, related in some way to her stallions, or were ridden by the trainers…

I know for a fact that Julie likes and respects Thoroughbreds. We bought an interesting cross bred mare from her. She likes nice horses no matter the breeding.

[Plumcreek]

@Pennywell Bay

Poster never said she wasn’t lucky. While that is your experience with JW- someone else had a different one (a few others apparently). Let’s not discount others perception. It is neither wrong nor right- it is THEIRS.

I didn’t aim the word “lucky” at BITSA, the person I quoted to describe my different personal experience over time in lessons with Julie. I aimed it at OP Calvincrowe, she is the lucky one who will be taking the clinic with JW. Sorry I was not clear.

[costco_muffins]

@Release First

I know for a fact that Julie likes and respects Thoroughbreds. We bought an interesting cross bred mare from her. She likes nice horses no matter the breeding.

My experience was not that she disliked my horses, just that she dismissed them and fawned over the better bred horses, and in particular one that was sired by her stallion.

I didn’t go to a clinic to hear repetitive gushing over how amazing a horse produced by her breeding program is. I went to learn, which I did. That experience, however, was tainted by the atmosphere.

I have ridden these same two horses with other BNT in equally expensive clinics and not had that experience. For that reason, whether it was an off day or not, I choose not to attend her clinics any more.

[Calvincrowe]

Well, I hope my horse, a product of her program, won’t be the one who hogs the attention now!! At least not for that reason – I’m sure my hideous adult ammy riding will be the focus! Thank you all for your input. I am looking forward to riding with her. Hopefully I won’t be in the last session of the day as I am less able to handle the heat the older I get.

Any good suggestions for hydration? Gatorade? Something else? No matter how much I drink, I still get a terrible headache.

[Calvincrowe]

I gave an update in the first post.

[Daventry]

@Calvincrowe

I gave an update in the first post.

Glad it went well. I have taken quite a few hunter judging clinics from Julie and she is an excellent clinician…so expected nothing less from the clinic you rode in. Sounds like it was a great opportunity!

[Calvincrowe]

I’ve done a bit of local show hunter judging, and I took lots of notes when Julie began talking about why and how we judge. It was so informative! Really helped me clarify my comparisons and scoring.